From: Reijer Grimbergen ETL GO JP> Date: 11 jun 1999 Subject: These weeks in Shukan Shogi (no. 789, 790, 791 and 792) [LONG] Back after a long absence. I missed four Shukan Shogi reports, so it is time to catch up quickly. Below you will find game 4 and 5 of the Meijin match and an update on the other pro tournaments. Unfortunately, I have to go to Germany for a week from Monday, so again no "This week in Shukan Shogi" for two weeks. After that, things should get back to normal for a while. Black: Sato Yasumitsu, Meijin White: Tanigawa Koji, Challenger 57th Meijin-sen, Game 4, May 19th and 20th 1999 1.P2g-2f 1/1 0/0 2.P3c-3d 0/1 11/11 3.P7g-7f 1/2 0/11 4.P4c-4d 0/2 1/12 5.P2f-2e 5/7 0/12 6.B2b-3c 0/7 0/12 7.S3i-4h 0/7 0/12 8.R8b-4b 0/7 9/21 This was as expected. After the disaster in game 2, Tanigawa would probably not try the Yokofudori again in this vital game. He needs to win or this match is virtually over. 9.P5g-5f 4/11 0/21 10.S7a-7b 0/11 7/28 11.K5i-6h 7/18 0/28 12.P9c-9d 0/18 2/30 13.P9g-9f 5/23 0/30 14.S3a-3b 0/23 11/41 15.K6h-7h 0/23 0/41 16.G4a-5b 0/23 29/70 17.G4i-5h 3/26 0/70 18.P6c-6d 0/26 6/76 19.P3g-3f 22/48 0/76 20.K5a-6b 0/48 10/86 21.S7i-6h 4/52 0/86 22.K6b-7a 0/52 7/93 23.S6h-5g 3/55 0/93 A big surprise. Sato is known as an Anaguma specialist, but instead chooses a Quick Fight here. At professional level this is not considered very dangerous for the Furibisha side, but Sato shows that there are still all kinds of variations that might deserve further study. 24.K7a-8b 0/55 10/103 25.G6i-6h 56/111 0/103 26.L1a-1b 0/111 57/160 27.R2h-3h 11/122 0/160 28.S3b-4c 0/122 22/182 29.P3f-3e 84/206 0/182 This is a very straightforward way to start the middle game fight. It is one of the main variations of the Saginomiya Joseki, which has been studied deeply by Aono. With the pawns on the first file pushed, there are two examples of professional games with this position. Both were won by the Furibisha side. Without the pawns pushed, there have been no previous game examples. 30.P3dx3e 0/206 40/222 31.S5g-4f 4/210 0/222 32.P4d-4e 0/210 19/241 33.B8hx3c+ 2/212 0/241 34.N2ax3c 0/212 0/241 35.S4fx3e 0/212 0/241 36.N3cx2e 0/212 6/247 37.P*3d 81/293 0/247 38.R4b-3b 0/293 13/260 39.R3h-3f 0/293 0/260 39.R2f also looks good, but after 40.Sx3d Sx3d Rx3d Rx2e P2d Rx4e P*4d P*3e Px4e Px3d R*2g black is without pawns, which seems to be an important problem in this position. 40.B*4i?! 0/293 124/384 Sato was surprised by this move. He expected 40.B*2h, which seems to be better. 41.B*1h! 42/335 0/384 With the pawns pushed on the first file, this would not be so good because of the possible counter attack P1e. Here, this is no problem and white has to give up the bishop. Black seems to be better here, but the situation is not that simple. 42.B4ix5h+ 0/335 41/425 43.G6hx5h 0/335 0/425 44.G5b-4b 0/335 0/425 45.R3f-2f? 36/371 0/425 This gives away the advantage. It looks good, since it defends against G*2h, while attacking the knight on 2e at the same time. However, Sato overlooked Tanigawa's nasty defence. The right move was 45.B*5e to defend against G*2h. Then, after 46.P*3c Px3c+ Gx3c P*3d black is better. 46.G*2d! 0/371 9/434 This move looks terrible, but in fact stops all black attacking possibilities. White now gets the upper hand. 47.S3ex2d 64/435 0/434 48.P2cx2d 0/435 0/434 49.P9f-9e 0/435 0/434 50.P9dx9e 0/435 1/435 51.N2i-3g 0/435 0/435 52.S4cx3d 0/435 30/465 53.N3gx4e 3/438 0/465 54.N2ex1g+ 0/438 1/466 55.R2fx2d 16/454 0/466 56.S*2c! 0/454 5/471 Another bad looking move that is actually very good. This silver drop keeps the pressure on the black position. 57.R2dx2c+ 9/463 0/471 58.S3dx2c 0/463 0/471 59.P*3c 0/463 0/471 60.R3b-3a 0/463 1/472 61.B1h-3f 2/465 0/472 62.P*3e 0/465 4/476 63.B3f-2e 6/471 0/476 64.R*2i 0/471 2/478 65.P3c-3b+ 13/484 0/478 66.S2cx3b 0/484 3/481 67.B2ex6a+? 1/485 0/481 There goes the last fighting chance. Sato did not like it, but 67.Nx5c+ Gx5c B*4b Rx2e+ (R5a Bx6a+ Rx6a Bx5c+ wins for black) Bx3a+ G5c-5b Lx1g was the only way to stay in the game. 68.R3ax6a 0/485 0/481 69.L1ix1g 1/486 0/481 70.B*6i 0/486 3/484 71.K7h-6h 0/486 0/484 72.B6ix5h+ 0/486 1/485 73.K6hx5h 0/486 0/485 74.R2ix8i+ 0/486 0/485 75.B*6f 3/489 0/485 Also, 75.P*9c +R7h (Lx9c? B*6f followed by Bx9c+ gives black good chances) G*6h N6f K5g G*5h K4f +Rx6h N*9d K7a is not enough for black. 76.N*7d 0/489 4/489 77.B6f-2b+ 19/508 0/489 78.P6d-6e 0/508 2/491 79.P*9c 0/508 0/491 80.L9ax9c 0/508 2/493 81.B*7e 15/523 0/493 82.P6e-6f 0/523 8/501 83.P6gx6f 0/523 0/501 84.+R8i-7h 0/523 1/502 85.K5h-5g 0/523 0/502 86.+R7hx7f 0/523 0/502 87.N*6g 10/533 0/502 88.R6ax6f! 0/533 15/517 A great ending. The simple 88.G*7g? would have lead to disaster after 89.K4f Gx6g Bx5c+. After some good defence earlier in the game, Tanigawa now again shows us his great attacking skills. 89.B7ex6f 1/534 0/517 90.N7dx6f 0/534 0/517 91.+B2bx6f 0/534 0/517 92.B*7i 0/534 1/518 93.P*6h 0/534 0/518 94.+R7fx6f 0/534 0/518 95.K5gx6f 0/534 0/518 96.B7ix6h+ 0/534 0/518 97.R*6d 5/539 0/518 98.B*8h 0/539 3/521 99.K6f-6e 0/539 0/521 100.P*6c 0/539 0/521 Resigns 0/539 0/521 Time: 08:59:00 08:41:00 Black has a lot of material, but no chance of a mate. On the other hand, white's king is being attacked from the top and the bottom and has no place to go. Sato might have won the opening battle in this game, but after that he was outplayed by Tanigawa. Tanigawa is now in the driving seat, showing his great mental strength after being crushed in game one and two. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Black: Tanigawa Koji, Challenger White: Sato Yasumitsu, Meijin 57th Meijin-sen, Game 5, May 27th and 28th 1999 1.P7g-7f 0/0 0/0 2.P8c-8d 0/0 6/6 Stubborn or brave? In the combined Meijin matches of 1998 and 1999 Sato has lost four consecutive games against the Kakugawari opening. On the other hand, he won both game 1 and 2 of this match with the Yokofudori opening. Still, Sato again elects to try his luck against Tanigawa's speciality. 3.P2g-2f 14/14 0/6 Tanigawa must have been surprised, since he took 14 minutes for this move. His opening preparation will have been against the Yokofudori. 4.G4a-3b 0/14 6/12 5.G6i-7h 1/15 0/12 6.P8d-8e 0/15 0/12 7.B8h-7g 1/16 0/12 8.P3c-3d 0/16 0/12 9.S7i-8h 1/17 0/12 10.S3a-4b 0/17 4/16 11.B7gx2b+ 6/23 0/16 12.G3bx2b 0/23 0/16 13.S8h-7g 0/23 0/16 14.G2b-3b 0/23 4/20 15.S3i-3h 2/25 0/20 16.S7a-7b 0/25 1/21 17.P9g-9f 16/41 0/21 18.S4b-3c 0/41 9/30 This is Sato's plan. By not answering the pawn push on the edge, he hopes to give himself time to strengthen his position. 19.P4g-4f 26/67 0/30 20.P6c-6d 0/67 18/48 21.S3h-4g 9/76 0/48 22.S7b-6c 0/76 0/48 23.G4i-5h 3/79 0/48 24.K5a-4b 0/79 14/62 25.K5i-6h 11/90 0/62 26.S6c-5d 0/90 10/72 27.K6h-7i 15/105 0/72 28.G6a-5b 0/105 7/79 29.S4g-5f 15/120 0/79 30.P1c-1d 0/120 87/166 31.P1g-1f 11/131 0/166 32.P7c-7d 0/131 0/166 33.P3g-3f 29/160 0/166 34.P6d-6e 0/160 15/181 35.P9f-9e?! 22/182 0/181 Asks the theoretically interesting question: is black's extension on the edge more important than the extra time white gets for piece development. Sato wants to make these two moves on the edge a waste of time. If this game is a good indication, white might indeed have the advantage after the double pawn push. 36.N8a-7c 0/182 75/256 37.N2i-3g 8/190 0/256 38.G5b-6c 0/190 4/260 39.G5h-4g 38/228 0/260 40.K4b-3a 0/228 46/306 41.R2h-4h 73/301 0/306 42.P4c-4d 0/301 22/328 43.P4f-4e?! 20/321 0/328 It is probably better to wait. Black seems to be overextending his position with this early attack. 44.B*6d 0/321 28/356 45.P3f-3e 43/364 0/356 46.P3dx3e 0/364 14/370 47.B*4f 0/364 0/370 48.B6dx4f 0/364 32/402 49.G4gx4f 0/364 0/402 Moving up this gold seems to help black's attack, but there are too many holes in black's position. Moves like B*5i and B*3i make this a dangerous position for black. "I want to have white", was one of the comments heard in the press room. 50.P7d-7e 0/364 5/407 51.P7fx7e 11/375 0/407 52.P8e-8f 0/375 2/409 53.S7gx8f 25/400 0/409 54.B*5i? 0/400 40/449 A bad move that turns the position around. After 54.P*7g instead, white has very good chances. For example, 55.Sx7g N8e S8f Px4e Nx4e B*3g R4g B5i+. The difference between a promoted and an unpromoted bishop on 5i is huge. Also, the black rook no longer helps sideways in defence. 55.R4h-3h 17/417 0/449 56.P4dx4e 0/417 0/449 57.N3gx4e 1/418 0/449 58.P*7g 0/418 42/491 A change of plan and that is almost never a good sign. Sato had planned to play 58.P*8h, but realised that after Gx8h Nx8h+ Kx8h G*7f S*7g he can not continue his attack and the black counter attack will be devastating. 59.G7hx7g 26/444 0/491 60.S3c-4d 0/444 1/492 61.P*3c 2/446 0/492 62.N2ax3c 0/446 6/498 63.N4ex3c+ 1/447 0/498 64.S4dx3c 0/447 4/502 65.N*2e 0/447 0/502 66.N*6d! 0/447 5/507 Good try. Black hopes to get the knight on 2e in hand so that he can drop it on 7f. 67.G7g-7h! 34/481 0/507 Tanigawa realises the danger and turns to defence. Like in game 3, the man famous for his attacking skills shows Oyama like defence. 68.B5ix2f+? 0/481 21/528 Moves the bishop away from the king and that ends all white's hopes of attack. Best would have been to play a waiting move in reply to black's waiting move. After 68.K4b, black still has to find a way to win. 69.N2ex3c+ 2/483 0/528 70.G3bx3c 0/483 0/528 71.P7e-7d 0/483 0/528 72.N6dx5f 0/483 2/530 73.P7dx7c+ 3/486 0/530 74.R8b-4b 0/486 7/537 75.P*4e 25/511 0/537 76.N*7f 0/511 0/537 77.P5gx5f 0/511 0/537 78.+B2f-5i 0/511 1/538 79.S*7g 4/515 0/538 Perfect until the end. White's last hope was 79.S7g?, after which 80.P*8h Sx7f Px8i+ Kx8i P*7g gives white good chances win. 80.S5dx4e 0/515 1/539 81.S7gx7f 1/516 0/539 82.S4ex4f 0/516 0/539 83.N*2e 1/517 0/539 84.G3c-3d 0/517 0/539 85.+P7cx6c 0/517 0/539 86.S4f-5g= 0/517 0/539 87.P*3c 0/517 0/539 88.G3dx2e 0/517 0/539 89.N*3d 2/519 0/539 Resigns 0/519 0/539 Time: 08:39:00 08:59:00 There is no good defence against the mating threat Nx4b+ Kx4b R*3b K4c B*5b K4d G*5e. A strange match with Tanigawa winning three straight games after being humiliated in game 1 and game 2. Can Sato show the same mental strength and keep his Meijin title by winning the final two games? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- In other Shogi news: ==================== * The Junisen season 1999-2000 started and of course most eyes are on the A class where the challenger for next year's Meijin match will be decided. With so many strong players it is impossible to predict who the challenger will be. The first game in the A class was between Moriuchi and Maruyama. Moriuchi missed the Meijin match by a whisker last year, while Maruyama had a very solid first year in the top class, ending in third place. Both players also met in this year's Zen Nihon Pro Tournament. In that match Maruyama crushed Moriuchi 3-0. However, no revenge for Moriuchi in this game. Maruyama won a very high level game in the theoretical R8e Yokofudori, showing that he is a serious candidate for the Meijin title this year. * B1 is the class with the longest track to promotion. 12 players play 11 rounds to decide two places in the top class. B1 has always been an interesting mix of veteran players hoping for another chance in the A class and young guns on their way to the top. It is a bit surprising that only Senzaki is in his twenties, with Inoue the second youngest player at 35. Senzaki had a good start to clear this class in one year by beating Aono. However, Inoue also won (against Naito) and he seems determined to show that his unfortunate relegation from the A class was an accident. Other winners of the first round were Minami (against Takahashi), Kamiya (who upset Nakamura), Kiriyama (my pick for relegation this year, so this is a big win against Fukuzaki) and Mori (against Kobayashi). Still a long and bumpy road ahead.... * Moriuchi and Tanigawa met for the second time this year to decide the challenger for a title match. After the A-Junisen play-off, they now fought for the right to challenge Kisei Goda. In the Meijin play-off Moriuchi played very well, but let Tanigawa escape late in the game. This time, Tanigawa showed how good his form is these days. Moriuchi made one mistake in the middle game of the popular Yokofudori R8e variation and that was all Tanigawa needed. He did not give Moriuchi any chance to get back in the game and now is back to challenge for the Kisei for the first time in six years. It is seven years ago that he met Goda in the same title match. Then Tanigawa won easily 3-0. The Kisei match starts on June 6th. * The Oi leagues have been played to a finish, but that did not mean that all decisions were made. In the Red group there were no surprises. Tanigawa won all his games and is now one game away from his third title match in a row. One must feel a little bit sad for young Namekata, who finished 4-1 in a very strong group, but this only secured him a spot in next year's league. In the white group this score would have made him the outright winner. Very strange things happened in the final round of that group. There were three players with a 3-1 score: Goda, Takahashi and Yashiki. One of them should be able to win, or... Kitajima, who had not won a game yet, beat Goda straight from the opening. Ryu-O Fujii, who had no chance anymore, crushed Yashiki in attack. Former Oi title holder Takahashi actually came closest to winning the group, but young Yagura fought very hard to stay in the game and it was Takahashi who cracked under the pressure. As a result, Yagura joined the three leaders with a 3-2 score. A play-off has to decide the winner of the red group who then has to play Tanigawa for the right to challenge Habu. The draw for the play-off is: Takahashi-Yagura and Yashiki-Goda. * In the Oza tournament all quarterfinalists are known. Moriuchi beat Hatakeyama Nariyuki to reach the final eight. This is the game that was described in Shukan Shogi, which is surprising. Agreed, it was a game of theoretical interest, but after Hatakeyama after long thought decided not to play an interesting looking move, he lost quickly. The other two games must have been at least as interesting. Tanaka Torahiko caused a major upset by knocking out Tanigawa, but not a word on that game. Also, the encounter between Meijin Sato and Namekata might have been very interesting. Sato won, but how is not clear. Anyway, this gives the following quarterfinals: Goda-Moriuchi, Fujii-Nakahara, Takahashi-Maruyama and Sato-Tanaka. The game between Goda and Moriuchi looks the most interesting. -- Reijer Grimbergen Complex Games Lab Electrotechnical Laboratory 1-1-4 Umezono, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki-ken, 305 JAPAN E-mail: grimberg etl go jp URL: http://www.etl.go.jp/etl/suiron/~grimberg/ Tel: +81-(0)298-54-3316 Fax: +81-(0)298-54-5918